The Big Three News Stories Of The Week

There comes a point each year when outlandish iPhone rumors fall by
the wayside, and the many stories begin to converge around the same
specifications and features. We’ve probably reached that point for
Apple’s next iPhone.

The next iPhone
is almost certainly going to feature a 4.7-inch sapphire crystal
display. This larger and more durable screen will come at a higher
price, probably $50 to $100 more per unit.

The new handset will feature a pill shaped power button on the right side of the device, as opposed to the top, and a battery that Apple will claim is better than anything that came before it.

It will also come with an “A8” processor and “M8” motion coprocessor, and a better camera.

There are still some unknowns, including available capacities and
color choices, and the name for the new device. I expect that we’ll see
our first 128GB iPhone, and it will go by the name “iPhone Air.”

2. Data overages are going bye-bye

T-Mobile’s “Uncarrier” initiative has already forced other U.S.
carriers to lower the price on many cellular plans. The No. 4 carrier is
now leading the charge to end those nasty data overages industry-wide.

This week, T-Mobile CEO John Legere declared that overages
are “just plan wrong” and “must end.” As a result, he wants the other
large carriers to take T-Mobile’s lead and abolish overages “once and
for all.”

The carrier says that it will end all domestic overages starting in
May for the June billing cycle. It is likely to continue charging
overages for international use.

Instead of automatically charging for data overages, T-Mobile offers
day- or week-long data passes for those who wish to go over their limit.

So far, there has been no comment from AT&T or Verizon on T-Mobile’s plan to end data overages.

3. The next iPad will be thinner

The “iPad Air 2” could be thinner
than its predecessor and include LCD and cover glass manufactured as a
single unit. These are the conclusions drawn from new images leaked this
week purportedly showing parts for the upcoming device.

As you can see above, the front assembly shown in the images looks
similar to the one found on the current iPad Air. For the rear assembly,
however, it is a different story. Here, it looks like the connector
configuration is different. Also, the LCD appears to be bonded directly
to the cover glass.

This Week’s Awesome App Updates

Yahoo’s Flickr includes a number of new features
including Auto Sync, which lets you upload all your photos from your
phone automatically to your account. The update also has new editing
tools, including live filtering, vignettes, and auto-enhance. Flickr 3.0
also adds the ability to record up to 30 seconds of HD video using the
same filtering tools available for photos.

Finally, Facebook has unveiled a huge update for its Paper
App. Version 1.1 includes new tools for birthdays and special events,
and a new feature for group updates. It also features new story buttons,
and more article covers.

Head Scratcher of the Week

Jay Blahnik

What’s happening at Nike is fascinating. On Saturday,
CNET reported that the apparel giant has decided to throw in the towel
on its development of wearable fitness-related hardware, including the
Nike+ FuelBand. This comes just months before Apple is expected to
unveil the so-called “iWatch.”

Last August, Jay Blahnik confirmed
that he had taken a job at Apple. Blahnik was a central figure in the
development of Nike+ FuelBand and in the fitness industry in general.

Could more Nike+ FuelBand employees be making the jump to Apple now that their jobs have been lost?